Hot take: Best by dates on canned goods are more about quality than safety

I got called out in a Facebook homesteading group for tossing a can of green beans that was 2 years past its date. They said as long as the can isn't dented or bulging, it's fine to eat. Do you follow those dates strictly or use your own judgment on pantry finds?

2 comments

2 Comments

miawalker3d ago

I'm totally with you on this one. A few months ago I found a can of cream of mushroom soup in the back of my pantry that was from 2019, and I just shrugged and put it in a casserole anyway. It was fine, no weird taste or anything. My grandma used to say canned goods are basically immortal if the seal holds, and she'd eat stuff from the 80s without blinking. The only thing I really pay attention to is if the can looks rusty or if it's got a dent near the seam, but otherwise I just go for it. That homesteading group sounds exactly right, those green beans probably would have been perfectly fine.

the_faith3d ago

2019 isn't that old, I'd draw the line way before the 80s.